Seems we’re out of the woods insofar as rainstorms. Weather folks predict a few sprinkles Thursday and Saturday of next week, but the worst is over and done with.
Other than the annoying sound of water continuously falling from the sky, I didn’t mind the wet weather all that much. It’s the chill factor before the rain, after the rain, in fact this whole season, that’s causing difficulties for me.
In order not to catch pneumonia, I’ve been running central air heating during the day.
At night, even though I’ve tripled up on clothing — wear two night shirts, my camo onesie pajamas and the bed is covered with two quilts, I’m freezing. Consequently, I’ve been running a little bedroom heater at night.
All these measures to survive the Winter season has caused a jump in heating bill to $188 — double what it usually is this time of year.
I don’t know how you people who live in cold climates manage … how you can afford to stay warm.
At any rate, in between sit down squats last week, I was complaining about the high bill to Trainer, saying that I had to find a way to lower it.
The Universe was once again listening, manifesting my thoughts into things, because, having a moment to read this week’s Woman’s World magazine yesterday, what did I see but an article entitled "Easy Ways to slash your heating bill".
Here we go again with that superpower working for me, or finding myself in the 4th dimensional pocket where thoughts become reality, but why does the Universe not listen in when the conversation is about my desire to win millions in the Powerball, Mega or SuperLotto????
The only suggestion applicable to me, in the article, was to insulate the windows with bubble wrap.
"Bubble wrap creates a barrier between the glass and the warm air in your home, helping you retain 50% more heat … Simply cut a piece of wrap the same size of your window, spray water on the bubbly side and place it against the glass".
It just so happens that I have bubble wrap on hand, so worth a try.
I don’t recall seeing the part that said to wet the bubble side until I just now typed those instructions into this post. So, even though I screwed up and wet the smooth side, the wrap went up easy peasy.
So we’ll see how it goes until it looks like I may have to reverse sides.
It’s still a mystery as to why TinTin has that strip of tinfoil in her window. The article did say heat rises, that you can insulate your attic with foil and save $1000 on your heating bill, but said nothing about a strip of foil on a window.
As for me, should a neighbor inquire, I've a good explanation as to why I’ve bubble wrapped my bedroom window.
Once word gets around, more than a few will begin bubble wrapping their windows because more than a few have commented on how the cold cuts straight through at night.
We once had a Complex Manager that liked working with old people, was nice to us, tried to make living here better for us.
She was looking into getting double pane windows installed to protect us from the Winter cold/Summer heat.
It got her fired.
Corporate wants its managers to collect as much as they can, spend as little as possible. They didn't like that she was spending money on bettering our living situation with activities, events, repairs and when she wanted to spend even more money on double pane windows, they summarily dismissed her.
Corporate greed.
So, I double dog dare them to do an inspection and complain about the bubble wrapped window.
Go bother TinTin about her aluminum and the dresser drawer still on her patio, even though that "friendly reminder" was included in this month's calendar.
My friend Q posted a meme from a site called Modern Art last night that sent me down a rabbit hole. The artist puts an unusual spin on artwork and everyday photos. Lots of his work to enjoy, but these are the two that made me laugh the loudest.
That Artist's Work is hilarious. The Bubble Wrap is ingenious and should be easy to remove when you don't need it anymore. I'm fortunate to have a Vintage Home with very thick Burnt Adobe Brick Walls and Double Pane Glass and thick Windowsills, which Modern Homes the Walls are Paper Thin. It is definitely Colder than we're used to here in Arizona too and even the Plants don't like it, nor did they like the record Temps in the Summer... Climate Change is really gonna require Adaptations of every Living Thing.
ReplyDeleteNot only can the bubble wrap be easily installed and uninstalled ... wet it to apply, pull to take down, it can still be reused as protective wrapping for breakable items I store away.
DeleteI've never heard of using bubble wrap as window insulation -- I hope it helps you! Sometimes people here put tin foil on their windows in the summer (shiny side facing outwards) because supposedly it keeps things cooler as the sun's hot rays reflect back and bounce off the foil. Don't know how well that works either.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that in cold climates like Canada, our homes are insulated to the max with heavy duty insulation in the walls, attic, etc. Windows are double-paned and seal tightly. If you have a lot of glass exposed to the elements, it had better be triple-paned. But winter heating is still a major expense -- how could it not be? We just expect it.
I may have to try that tinfoil when summer hits. Only unlike TinTin, I'll do the entire window, not just a weird strip when there's no sun to be blocked.
DeleteI think between all those rains, mudslides and earthquakes...California has had enough lately. Who out there pissed off Mother Nature? LOL
ReplyDeleteFriends of the family lost everything in the floods that started a mudslide. Needless to say they are headed back East , after an earthquake years ago, then wildfires and now this. Let us know how the bubble wrap work and if it saves money.
I think Mother Nature got us mixed up with New Hampshire, where they held those primaries. That's where all those red hat folks should be getting their weather butts kicked. BTW, Welcome back!
DeleteWear extra clothes and socks. Poor people in cold areas put towels on window sills and at the base of doors. Some folks can buy those cloth tubes filled with something to place at the bottom of doors. Open your curtains when the sun is shining in; close them when the sun isn't shining directly in. Close rooms you aren't using, and/or the vents providing heated air in them. An electric space heater is a tad dangerous (get one that turns off if you tip it over and keep it away from your linens,) but they mostly SOAR the electric bill. Turn your thermostat cooler when you are not there.
ReplyDeleteMy ground level apartment is surrounded by brick exterior walls, with zilch insulation. I purchased a 7-8 foot piece of fake sheep wool cloth and placed it with thumbtacks on two of my interior walls from the waist level down to the floor to keep the harsh cold from referring into my air space. Hardware stores DO have those kits where you place double-stick tape on the interior of a window, and stretch saran wrap like plastic around it, using a hair blower to stretch and seal it. A $70+ electric mattress pad (not blanket; heat rises remember?,) is wonderful on a winter night, with several settings and it turns off after 10 hours, but not many get to sleep that long. Much cheaper than a husband. Good luck. To really feel warm, come visit your friends in below zero weather! Linda in Kansas
"Extra clothes and socks" ... way ahead of you on that one, but the "Much cheaper than a husband" 🤣 🤣🤣electric mattress pad sounds wonderful. I'll look into it.
DeleteBubble wrap is a very clever idea. And I’m about to head down that Modern Art rabbit hole. Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm not usually into artistic museum level stuff, but Modern Art's work was worth that trip down the rabbit hole.
DeleteWow! Your heating bill is bigger than mine and I live just outside DC where it gets cold cold cold. And I have 2 levels with a lot of bedrooms. I've used the shrink wrap insulation that DrumMajor mentioned and it works very well. 17 bucks on Amazon. Maybe a little better than your bubble wrap only b/c it has that tape around the edge to hold it in place.
ReplyDeleteIt's looking like bubble wrap, sprayed with water, is acting as a substitute for the shrink wrap DrumMajor mentioned, but I'm going to look into it to see if it presents better, is more invisible than bubble wrap, when viewed from the outside.
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